Marvie's Crochet Corner

Knitting and rambling

I got all of my knitting needles in =) I now have 13 sets of dpn's and the Boye Needlemaster set. I think I'm good for a while lol. I hope so at least!

I couldn't resist playing with the dpn's immediately. So I took some leftover stuff out of my drawer of bits, read some stuff, and cast on some stitches. I figured out how to seperate the stitches onto three or four needles and started knitting away. It's still a pretty slow process for me, and I'm even slower with these bamboo needles bc I'm terrified I'm going to break them. I grip pretty tightly, sometimes I have to kinda force the needles in the stitches... this is fine with aluminum, not so good with toothpicks! So I have to make an effort to loosen up.

Well, I think I'm doing something wrong. The stitches seem to be backwards on the needle. I kinda have to do some twisty stuff with my hands to get the right needle to go through the stitch on the left needle. I don't know what I've done wrong. I watched a bunch of videos over at Knittinghelp.com and it looks like the stitches were done in the Combined knitting style, but honestly I didn't do that. I did when I first started trying to hold the yarn in my left hand, but after watching those videos I eventually got the hang of plain old Continental knitting and that's what I do now. So I really don't get why my stitches seem backwards on this damned sock. It's really slowing me down, and frankly, pissing me off lol. So I knit off a needle or two, then put it down for a while.

I haven't worked on any more squares for hubby's blanket. I got distracted by the dpn's and haven't gone back to it. Partly because the square I was working on was giving me fits. First bc I got confused over terminology, but then I got that explained so I understand that now. Second because though the square started out the right size (the closest of any of the knitted ones yet) after a few repeats the damned thing lost 4 inches in width! So I had to frog it and I haven't decided yet if I want to figure out how many more stitches it needs to end up the right size, or if I want to pick a different pattern. I'll probably decide today and get back to it. I need something to do in between my very short sock knitting bursts.

I'm still working out details for my trip. Hubby got the letter written up and to the guy who has to sign it, now we just wait to get it back and I can go ahead and sign up on the list to fly.

I did some poking around to find alternate ways to get to the Norfolk area if I can't fly directly into Norfolk. It looks like we'll take a train from wherever we land. It just seems easier than asking my friend to drive hours and hours to pick us up. Since I have no definate flight schedule to give her so she'd know what day and time to pick me up, and rather than call her when we arrive and wait hours for her to drive up there.... a train seems like the best plan. Plus, factoring in gas, tolls and her time, a train is cheaper.

I'll probably do the same thing to get up to Ohio when the time comes. My other friend was planning to go to VA with her family after school lets out, but her car wouldn't be big enough to hold her family plus me and the boy. So it looks like either a train ride or a cheap flight if I can get two tickets for the same or less than a train ride. It isn't an expense that I was planning on, but it can be done without hurting my budget so it's all good =) Plus, B has never been on a train so he'd enjoy it.

I need to bake bread today. (sorry, random thought)

I've found all sorts of thrifty frugal things to help my financial diet/grocery budget. I found a way to make a refried bean mix. I found a way to make my own instant oatmeal packets. Whole bunches of things that will be budget helpers and still let us enjoy things we like. Plus it fits with my goal of trying to use whole foods rather than buying processed preservative filled crap. Good things all around!

I also added $25 a week to our grocery budget, which takes an enormous pressure off my mind. Funny how such a seemingly small amount can make such a huge difference huh?

Today will be our first time grocery shopping on the new budget. Hubby promised to just drive me there and let me handle the shopping. We'll see how it goes. If it doesn't work out too well I might have to beg a ride from my friend during the day while he's at work next week lol. I have a feeling he'll be poking holes in my budget and Gods only know what will happen lol. I've already made a list and estimated how much the trip *should* cost. The tricky part will be sticking to that with him there. He's gonna want more of this and less of that and before you know it I'll have to eliminate things from my list so what's in the cart equals what I'm allowed to spend. As I said, he promised to keep quiet and let me do my thing.... I just don't know if he *can* lol.

Well, I'm going to get myself moving. I haven't even dressed yet and it's already noon. Ok, that's not exactly unusual for me, but still. I do want to go wander through the thrift shop, so that necessitates putting on real clothes.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

posted by Marvie at 5:27 AM